Hey Guys,

I am rebuilding a 440 and was checking the bearing clearances between the main caps and the crank with plastigage.  First time doing this.  When I did the procedure, I torqued down the caps to 85 ft.lbs, and it bearly crushed down at all.  Am I getting a bad reading by doing something wrong, or do I just have alot of clearance?

Any help would be great!  

you should have .0015-.0026 clearance. anything in there is acceptable I like .002.  

Well when I did it, I got a reading like 0.006.  Which is too much I know.  But I didn't understand why I had that much clearance.   I thought maybe the plastigage could be a little old and dry and didn't crush properly.  I got some new plastigage, and I will try that when I get a chance.  If that doesn't work, I will mic it.  If I still get a big clearance reading, what's the next step, oversized bearings?

Thanks!  

They only make .001 under size then .010-.020-.030  

Try this, make sure you are using the correct plastigage. Sometimes they have different colors and that represents different ranges. .000 to .010  etc.  Put a piece on the jurnal and make sure there are no metal shavings or crud or whatever at the cap to block mating surface.  If all is clean then litely tap each cap into place with a plastic or rubber hammer.  If the caps just plop into place with out having to be tapped in, then the block or caps have bean stressed or deformed. If all goes well then after tapping caps into place, then torque them down.  Make sure bolts are straight and threads are clean (bolt bottoming out in a hole full of crud). Maybe even lightly oil the bolt threads before torquing.  

I finally checked it with a micrometer.  It is .010" less than supposed to be.  I guess when I thought they were polishing it, they took .010" off.  Oh well.  I'll just have to get .010" bearings.

Thanks for all of you guy's help!  

Good thing you checked it, I'am surprised mr4 spd didn't catch that it was a 10 under crank.  

I'm not surprised your still an a** hole, dr.a**h***
You didn't chime in and help this guy, what isn't your problem??
Give it a rest for the sake of this site and it's users.  

Your the one that needs to give it a rest Mr. 4speed, so whats the deal have you been kicked off other mopar sites for your rude replies? You told me you would always tell if asked, so please tell us the truth!  

Were done with this soap opera.
No more of this.
What happens on other sites is of no concern here.
We don't need bs.
Or do you still want this to go on?  

Good, I'am glad to here your done with this soap opera.  

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